Haha. Honestly, that’s exactly what I was thinking — I just didn’t want to pull over and sleep yet. And I haven’t taken any lifts, even though I’ve been offered rides a few times. Pushing my bike is still on me, because at least I’m ‘carrying’ my own weight, albeit using different muscles..:)

Definitely, the sunsets were something in the Northeast of India.

This is amazing!

There is something reassuring when I see younger, fitter cyclists than me pushing their bikes up steep mountains. "It's just using another set of muscles" is something somebody told us once.

Beautiful. Natural Holi indeed.

A beautiful journal entry. Thank you!

Thank you for your perspectives. It is indeed sad those of us fortunate enough to enjoy and use the very things people don’t have do not realize how blessed we really are.

As an “old person” comment, my first year of (public) school in the 9th grade, I can still photograph in my mind the math teacher named Miss McNew. The most startling thing were her “recycled tire shoes”, as she called them. She was very tall, stocky, and quite a presence. But, her footwear is what I remember most because I had never seen anything like this before. The year? 1965.

Very well-written and wise. I struggle with many of these same questions and, like you, have no good answers.

That’s such a cool bike!

"Watch out for the next town, those people are dangerous!"

I encountered this attitude many times on my rides here in the USA, and invariably found them to be "rather overstated" to the effect that people I met were quite friendly and helpful.

Likely you have noticed the same elsewhere. Keep up the great journal!

That's crazy! I wonder why it was built?

Is your journey over?

What a day, what an ending.

I love that bike!